Fool
by codexfawkes
Summary: Summary: Not long after Huh, River uses another song to get a message across to Mal. Teeny bit of pre-Rayne.


Fool

By Codexfawkes

Summary: Not long after Huh, River uses another song to get a message across to Mal.

AN: Maybe He'll Notice Her Now belongs to Mindy McCready and those who survive her.

The crew sat in the galley enjoying a quiet evening in the black. Simon and Kaylee were playing checkers at the small lounge table. Book, Jayne, Wash and Zoe sat at one end of the dining table playing cards while Mal sat at the other cleaning his guns. River sat curled up on the crash couch reading some huge book Simon had found at the market place on Persephone. Everything was cozy and peaceful, except Mal's thoughts. Buzzing like angry bees, flying in circles never getting anywhere, a constant fight to understand why Inara left like she did, his mind was in turmoil. He was giving River a headache.

What was worse she knew exactly why Inara left, she just couldn't make the words come out right. Not that she thought he'd listen if she could. Casting her mind around for a way to make the angry buzzing go away, she felt Jayne'd elation at getting a spectacular hand. Looking over at him River was suddenly struck with inspiration. She's been able to come to an understanding with Jayne by singing him a song. Why shouldn't the same thing work with Mal? In fact it should work even better seeing as Mal already liked and trusted her. River thought hard. Casting her mind back through years of musical training to find just the right song to help him understand.

Mal sat at the table cleaning his guns and trying not to think about Inara. Trying not to remember her teasing him about cleaning his guns at the table. "Every well-bred petty crook knows that the small, concealable weapons always go to the far left of the place setting," she teased moving his smallest pistol to the side. It didn't make no gorram sense. They had something, he knew they did, so why had she bolted on him? She didn't seem to care a wit he'd taken comfort from Nandie, yet she'd shut him down moment he tried to speak on his honest feelings for her. Was it all a game to her? The flirtin and teasin just keepin her Companiony training up? So that when he'd finally gone to make the move she'd run off to avoid havin to tell him no? But that didn't make sense either. Gorram woman never had problems tellin him no before then. Was she afraid he'd hurt her? Maybe she just really didn't want nothin to do with him or his people anymore? Maybe she really did think she was too good for Serenity. Could he be that wrong about a person? Gorram if he didn't wish someone could give him some kind of answer.

"_She wrote, 'I feel just like that painting, collecting dust on the wall.'"_

When the first note left River's lips in the semi quiet of the galley the entire crew froze. The sweet soulful voice capturing their attention in an instant as all eyes turned to River. She still sat on the couch, the huge book open on her lap, her head tilted back and eyes closed as she sang.

"'_And every day you walk right by me, and don't know I'm there at all_

_And I can't think of one single reason, why I should be hanging around'_

_She signed it, 'I hope that you'll miss me', and she drove herself out of town."_

Simon's eyes widened as he realized just what River was doing. His eyes darted to Mal who was staring at River in shock, clearly still unaware of just what she was up to.

"_Maybe he'll notice her now, maybe he'll open his eyes_

_Sometimes it takes somebody leaving for a man to realize_

_Maybe he'll tell her she's the only thing that he can't live without_

_Now that she's gone maybe he'll notice her now." _

Zoe looked at Wash, the two of them having a conversation in a glance before both sets of eyes slid over to Mal. River's meaning was clear, at least to them. Only questions now were would Mal figure it out and what would he do if he did.

"_When he came home late that evening, he called her name down the hall_

_He saw the outline of the painting that used to hang there on the wall_

_And in its place on the nail was a letter, he read it out loud to himself_

_And then the loneliness began to take over and for once he knew just how she felt."_

Book leaned back in his seat unable to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up in amusement. Little River was masterful. The others truly didn't give her enough credit. True she was young and traumatized but she wasn't nearly as broken as they all thought she was. Looking over at Mal he was amused to find the captain baffled by the current situation.

"_Maybe he'll notice her now, maybe he'll open his eyes_

_Sometimes it takes somebody leaving for a man to realize_

_Maybe he'll tell her she's the only thing that he can't live without_

_Now that she's gone maybe he'll notice her now."_

Kaylee didn't quite know what to do. River's meanin were plain that was for damn sure, but was River tryin to help or was she just tauntin the captain? She didn't think River would be mean, not on purpose anyways. It was probably her way of tryin to help but, hell this was likely to explode in all their faces once Mal snapped outta his shock.

"_He called her up, he said I have been such a fool_

_She said I will come back and boy I still love you."_

Mal's eyes narrowed as his suspicions about this little performance were confirmed. Anger starting to build in him, Mal clenched his fists. Like 'Nara would ever come runnin back to him just cause he asked her to. Probably wouldn't even want him to ask.

"_Maybe he'll notice her now, maybe he'll open his eyes_

_Sometimes it takes somebody leaving for a man to realize_

_Maybe he'll tell her she's the only thing that he can't live without_

_Now that she's gone maybe he'll notice her now."_

River could feel the turmoil building as the people around her focused on the captain and his focus on River sharpened. She could feel the worry, anger and amusement filtering through the air around her. Only one mind remained balanced as it settled in on her and not Mal.

"_I'm coming home, maybe you'll notice me now."_

As the last note died away there seemed to be a collective breath held while the crew awaited Mal's reaction. "Doc, you best find a way to keep your sister quiet. This ain't no gorram musical where folk burst into song for no damn reason. You hear me little girl? No more solo's." he ordered as he stood and marched from the room. Jayne frowned at Mal's back as he left, man sure could be all manner a stupid and stubborn. Mal left them unsettled by the lack of explosion, the awkward silence broken only by a scoff from Jayne. "Fool."


End file.
